Arizona school bus driver accused of threatening, shoving students

A southern Arizona school bus driver was arrested on allegations she threatened and shoved students, including pushing one hard enough that he fell and hit his head.

Colleen Weinstein, 50, was released from jail on $70,000 bond Tuesday, according to the Cochise County Sheriff's Office. Weinstein was arrested a day earlier on 20 counts of disorderly conduct and endangerment, two counts of threats and intimidation and three counts of aggravated assault.

According to deputies, they were called the afternoon of Feb. 26 in Hereford to respond to a verbal altercation between the Coronado Elementary School bus driver and several students. After spending a few days interviewing 20 students, investigators arrested Weinstein on Monday.

Sheriff's officials said the incident began when Weinstein allegedly pushed a student down the aisle, yelled at other students and then stopped the bus. She then allegedly pushed another student toward a seat, causing him to fall and hit his head on a window, investigators said.

She is also accused of leaving the bus unattended and trying to intimidate some students after they exited the bus by following them.

Weinstein, who has been employed by the Palominas School District for less than a year, was fired during a school district board meeting Tuesday, the Sierra Vista Herald reported. Superintendent Marylotti Copeland said the district is now reviewing the transportation department to make "certain we're doing everything we need to do going forward, to keep another incident like this from happening again."

A message seeking comment was left at a phone number listed for Weinstein but was not immediately returned Wednesday. It was not known if Weinstein had retained an attorney.